JERRY OLEA
Nasa ibang bansa si Rachel Alejandro kaya naka-Zoom siya sa mediacon ng pelikulang Song of the Fireflies noong Hunyo 7, 2025, Sabado, sa CX Studio, Launchpad Bldg, Reliance Cor. Sheridan, Mandaluyong City.
Gumanap si Rachel sa pelikula bilang cultural advocate na si Enriqueta “Equet” Butalid.
RACHEL ALEJANDRO ON WORKING WITH MORISSETTE
Puring-puri si Rachel ng co-star na si Morissette, na gumanap naman bilang Alma Fernando-Taldo na founder at musical director ng Loboc Children’s Choir (LCC).
Ano ang reaksiyon ni Rachel sa pagkabilib ni Morissette sa kanya? Kumusta ang pagtatrabaho nila?
Read: Morissette, inaming "nerve-wracking" ang pagbibida sa musical film
“Ayun, hanggang talampakan ang buhok ko. Ang haba ng hair ko. Ha! Ha! Ha!” pagtawa ni Rachel.
“I didn’t know what to expect honestly, working with Mori. Kasi even after I’ve met her a few times, yung minsan sa ASAP, yung mga ganung guestings lang.
“Pero, of course, I’ve always admired her.
"And every time, even before doing Song of the Fireflies, every time may magtatanong sa akin na sinong artist of the next generation ang gusto kong maka-collaborate or maybe do a duet with, lagi kong sinasabi, Morissette. OK.
“And then, talagang nagdilang-anghel. It’s almost like parang the universe or God heard my wishes.
“And then, eto na nga, nagkaroon kami ng duet dito sa film na ito. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect.
“So I was very, very pleasantly surprised at how ang galing-galing ni Mori dito sa role na ito.
“And hindi ako nagugulat that she won the best actress award at the MIFF, and of course also received a best actress nomination at the prestigious World Fest Houston International Festival.
“So, can you imagine, first pa lang, first time pa lang niyang umarte sa isang pelikula, nanalo na siya agad.
“Yung mga eksena namin kasi, maraming parts doon na parang, alam mo yun, parang medyo nagka-clash yung characters.
“Pero I think it wouldn’t have worked kung hindi talagang natural actress si Mori.”
Read: Rachel Alejandro shares last moments with father Hajji
NOEL FERRER
Maraming bagong pangyayari sa buhay ni Rachel Alejandro ngayong taon.
“As you all know, I lost my dad just very recently. So it’s kind of, like… talagang I could say… 2025, buwisit ka!” bulalas ni Rachel.
“Alam mo yun? Yung talagang from the lowest of the low, to also… been feeling very, very blessed about all these things that are happening to the film.
“And nabanggit nga kanina ni Sir Jeff [Remigio] na sobrang tagal na-shelve nitong movie na ito.
“In fact, hindi na nga namin alam kung maipapalabas pa because of all the challenges that it went through — the pandemic, typhoon, all of that. And a fire pa in L.A., yung wildfire sa L.A.
“So, lahat na nangyari, but here we are now, and so talagang so grateful, so so grateful and so excited for all of you to finally see our film.”
Pumanaw ang ama ni Rachel na si Hajji Alejandro noong April 21, 2025.
Read: OPM icon Hajji Alejandro dies at 70
SONG OF THE FIREFLIES SCREENINGS
Nakatakdang ipalabas ang Song of the Fireflies simula Hunyo 25 sa local cinemas.
Sa Hulyo 20 naman ito matutunghayan sa Italian Contemporary Film Festival sa Toronto, Canada.
Maliban kina Rachel at Morisette, kasama sa movie sina Krystal Brimner, Noel Comia Jr., Chai Fonacier, Via Antonio, Cai Cortez, Tommy Alejandrino, at Alex Medina.
Song of the Fireflies is a tribute to the extraordinary journey of the Loboc Children’s Choir, which began in the 1980s in the quiet riverside town of Loboc, Bohol.
Directed by King Palisoc, the film is produced by Culturtain Musicat Productions with MQuest Ventures, in cooperation with Quezon City Film Development Commission, CMB Film Services, and Hartman Communications.
Read: Rachel Alejandro still childless after 11 years of marriage: “Yung husband ko ayaw talaga.”
GORGY RULA
Umapela si Rachel Alejandro na tangkilikin ang pagpapalabas ng Song of the Fireflies sa mga sinehan sa Hunyo 25.
Aniya: “Para sa mga kababayan natin diyan sa Pilipinas, miss na miss ko na kayo. I’m so excited for you to see our film on June 25.
“And I have to say, I think one of the things na puwede ninyong mapulot at makuha from this film, and I’m going to come naman from the lesson that we can learn from my character Equet Butalid, she says in the film kasi, ‘You have to aim for more. You have to do more.’
“And she challenged Alma. Kasi, there’s of course the love for the kids and wanting to build this choir with no intention of greatness and anything like that.
“But at the end of the day, I think, Filipino talent in general, Filipino talent deserves more.
“It deserves to be on the world stage. And can you imagine what we Filipinos are capable of?
“Imagine ang Loboc Children’s Choir, tumatapak sila sa mga entablado throughout the world and they bring pride to the Philippines.
“I think, imagine from something small, di ba, from a small dream, naging isang napakalaking achievement, napakalaking source of pride para sa ating mga Pinoy.
“And I think we can learn that from all of the characters in the film.”
Read: Rachel Alejandro not worried that Spanish husband might cheat during LDR